Eastbourne International 2021: Men's singles draw analysis, preview & prediction
The ATP tour travels to Eastbourne this week for one of the final events in the lead-up to Wimbledon. The 2021 Viking International, which begins on 21 June, will be headlined by World No. 16 Gael Monfils and Australia's Alex de Minaur.
Lorenzo Sonego, seeded third, is the only player in the draw to have tasted title glory on the surface; Sonego won the grasscourt event in Antalya two years ago. Also present at the ATP 250 event are Next Gen stars like Alexander Bublik, Alejandro Davidovich Fokina, Alexei Popyrin and Emil Ruusuvuori.
With main draw action set to kick off on Monday, here's a look at how the event could pan out:
Top half: Can Gael Monfils end his slump in Eastbourne?
Seeded players: [1] Gael Monfils, [3] Lorenzo Sonego, [7] Albert Ramos-Vinolas, [8] Alexander Bublik
Expected semifinal: Gael Monfils vs Lorenzo Sonego
Dark horse: Emil Ruusuvuori
Analysis: Gael Monfils, a former finalist at Eastbourne, has been in a slump ever since the COVID-enforced tour suspension in 2020. The Frenchman has lost 11 of his last 13 matches, and is in dire need of some inspiration.
Having received a first-round bye, Monfils would be fancying his chances of making the last eight in Eastbourne as he has two qualifiers first up. He could then meet either Albert Ramos-Vinolas, Emil Ruusuvuori or Yoshihito Nishioka for a place in the semifinals.
In normal circumstances, Monfils would be expected to beat these opponents handily. But the Frenchman has lately been struggling to maintain his form for more than a couple of matches, and he could easily be upset by the aforementioned players if he's not at the top of his game.
Lorenzo Sonego, who leads the opposite side of Monfils' half, might also have a tough task on his hands if he wants to make his second final on grass. The Italian could face Australia's John Millman in his Eastbourne opener, and after that the talented Alexander Bublik or the big-hitting Jo-Wilfried Tsonga. The latter, of course, reached the semifinals at Wimbledon in both 2011 and 2012.
Predicted semifinal: John Millman def. Emil Ruusuvuori
Bottom half: Alex de Minaur looking to get back to winning ways
Seeded players: [2] Alex de Minaur, [5] Reilly Opelka, [8] Alejandro Davidovich Fokina, [9] Cameron Norrie
Expected semifinal: Alex de Minaur vs Cameron Norrie
Dark horse: Frances Tiafoe
Analysis: Australia's Alex de Minaur took a significant step forward last year by reaching his maiden Grand Slam quarterfinal at the US Open. The 22-year old, however, has struggled to make a mark in the tournaments since then.
De Minaur will be looking to make amends at this year's Eastbourne International, but has received no favors as far as his draw is concerned. Having received a first-round bye, the Aussie might have to face the in-form Frances Tiafoe for a place in the last eight at the 250-level event.
De Minaur could then face either fast-rising Alejandro Davidovich Fokina or Canada's Vasek Pospisil (who reached the Wimbledon quarterfinals in 2015) for a place in the semifinals.
While De Minaur doesn't have a lot of match wins under his belt this season, he has had a respectable grasscourt season so far. The 22-year-old reached the semifinals at Queen's earlier this week, where he lost to Matteo Berrettini.
Cameron Norrie and Reilly Opelka are the seeded players on the opposite side of De Minaur's half, and either of them could be a tough opponent for the Aussie in the last four.
Norrie has had a banner year in 2021, reaching three finals on the main circuit and recording as many as four top 20 wins. Opelka, on the other hand, registered a memorable five-set win over Stan Wawrinka at Wimbledon 2019, and has shown a good aptitude for grass with his big serve and groundstrokes.
Predicted semifinal: Reilly Opelka def. Frances Tiafoe
Prediction for the final
Reilly Opelka def. John Millman